Drainage-valve.



PAIENTED, MAR. 31, 1908.

0.0. PEGK. DRAINAGE VALVE. 'AiPPLIUATION FILED MAR. 25, 1907.

WITNESSES: m.

INVENTOR CASSIUS CARROLL PECK, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

DRAINAGE-VALVE.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, Cass us CARROLL PEoK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Drainage-Valve, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of heating apparatus in which differential steam and air pressure is maintained as between radiators and their return pipes, there being usually some degree of vacuum in the latter, with less vacuum, 'or'low steam pressure, in radiators. This condition effects a constant tendency for discharge of water, air and steam from radiators into return pipes. The object aimed at is to free radiators from water and air while reventing the waste of heat and reduction 0 vacuum whi'dh would occur 'were any considerable amount I of steam allowed to egiter the. retur'nmipes. To this end I rovide a valve which is intended to be p aced in the return ipe from oneor more radiators to separate t em from the reduced pressure carried in returns, which valve possesses the following features, namely, afloat which constitutes a valve and rises from a valve seatwhen water of condensation enters the valve body, and seats when the, water has nearly or uite escaped; a valve seat 'with provision or passage of air from radiatingfsurface to lower pressure in return pipes; a relatively, large screen inclosing the valve and its seat for straining'out solid matter carried into the valve body by water of condensation; a b pass for perinittin the' flushing of the ra ating surfaces an for quickly filling them with steam, and other constructive features to be hereinafter-described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a horizontal cross section on plane of broken line 11, Fig, 2, through the valve body, screenframe, and b ass passa e, showm also a top viewo t e main va ve seat. ig. 2' is a vertical, central section of the valve body, with inlet passage and outlet passage, by-p'ass, screen frame, float seat and b pass valve, the float valve and the stem 0 t e-by-pass valve being shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the valve 'seaton an enlarged scale; Fi 4 is a central cross section of the preferred orin of the float valve.

In the drawings 1 indicates a metal valve as a whole, 1 the main bod of the valve,

having a cap 2 which screws own upon said Specification 0! Letters Patent.

Application filed March 5, 1907. Serial No. 364,538.

Patented March 31, 1908.

body so as to form an airtight joint 3. 1 cap has also a downward projection 12 for limiting the rise of the float valve. The rim 4 of said capis threaded on the inside 'as The shown at 5 and a screen frame 6 is adapted for being screwed into the cap. This frame consists of a top ring 7 connected to a bot tom disk-ring 8 by ribs 9. ports an exterior cover of wire cloth 10, and the inward projecting ridge 11 on each of the four ribs serves to guide and maintain the float 12 in the vertical axis of the valve seat 13, the upper end of which seat projects through ring-disk Sand thus holds frame 6 in position at its lower end, the joint between said disk and the valve seat being sufficiently close to )ractically prevent the passage of water. he seat is preferably made with a relatively small passage 13 at the. upper end, and a relatively large passage smaller area than either the said inlet or out-' let. Discharge from'the lower end ofsaid passage is controlled b the by-pass valve 17, the stem 20 of whic passes by a screwthread through the metal of the valve body, and is rovlded at its outer end with a stuffingox 18, the cap of which has a shield 19, it being intended to operate the stem 20 by means of a key madeto fit the square end 20? of the stem.

In'startin up any vacuum heating system the desired egree of vacuum is first secured in return mains so as to expedite as much as practicable the withdrawal of air from radiators. Previous to turning steam on to a radiat'or'the ball 12, moving ortion of my valve, rests on its seat 13, but t e'V shaped passa es 13 in the edge thereof allow air to pass om the radiator into the connection 16 with the main return.

a thin edge at the valve bearing, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and is channeled, thus producing the serrated edge. On account ofthe suction in the outlet of the edge would prevent the-valve from .13" atthe lowenend. Valve 12 is shown as The frame supwhich constitutes the i The. valveseat should, for best results, have valve, athick freely from its seat when water runs into the valve chamber. Should the radiator (using this term to indicate either a cast or sheet metal radiator, or a pipe coil) be a large one, and it is desired to fill it with steam more quickly than could be done by evacuating air through passages 13, then by means of a key applied to the square end 20 of by-pass stem 20 the by-pass valve 17, which is normally closed, or nearly closed, can be opened sufficiently long to allow practically all air in the radiator to be discharged into the return, and then closed; after which passages 13 are designed to have suflicient opening to discharge they air which constantly accumulates as steam is supplied to a radiator and becomes condensec, especially if it be exhaust steam. This by-pass is also of practicalvalue in catching and blowing out core sand, scale, oil, etc. which may require to be removed from the radiator. Also in case valve seat 15 becomes clo ged, the bypass can be slightly opened to 'eep' the radiator drained of water and air until there is convenient opportunity for cleaning screen 10, seat 13, and passages 13 and 13 As steam-condenses in the radiator, water of condensation flows out therefrom through union connection 15 into by-pass passage 14 and into the body 1* of valve 1,.whence it passes through screen 10 to the interior of screen frame 6 and to valve seat 13, and, lifting the spherical float valve from its seat, flows out through passages 13" and 13 to thereturnpipe connection 16. When depth of water in valve body l 'and in screen frame 6 becomes too little to support float valve 12, it settles to the seat 13, being guided by ribsv 9 of the screen frame. The ball float as heretofore made of an interior .of cork 12 and an exterior covering of rubber composition, or as a hollow sphere,

'floats with about five-eighths of its diameter submerged. As the ball rests on the serrated edge of seat 13, they-shaped passages 13 (see Fig. 3 and top view in Fig. 1) allow a certain amount of water tov pass throu h the valve seat. Said passages are general y so proportioned as to allow the normal amount of condensation to pass. through them,'thus leaving valve 12 resting on seat 13 while allowing a limited amount of water and air to pass it; but when steam is first turned into the radiator, and condensation is. more rapid than after "the radiator and surrounding air become warm, water will accumulate sufficiently to lift the float valve and allow water to flow into the return pi e to extent of the ca acity of assage 13 w ich is intendedto ave su icient cross section to deliver the maximum amount of condensation Another function of the relatively small passages 13which are preferably but not necessarily V-shapedis tol prevent unbalanced, pressure existing between the radiator and the return pipe from holding; valve 12 so firmly to its seat that its flotative power will be insufficient to raise it when submerged in water. By reducing the amount of contact surface between the valve and its seat the effect on'the valve of unbalanced pressure is correspondingly lessened, and at the same time the rapid flow of water through passages 13 aids mechanically in raisingthe float valve.

The number of passages 13 depends upon the size of passage 13. I prefer that the bearing edge for seating valve 12 shall not much if any exceed one sixteenth inch in length between openings, and that the depth of the VS shall be from one thirty-second to one sixteenth inch, but the amount of unbalanced pressure between the radiator and return piping must determine the right proportion of valve bearing surface and depth of V passages. Serrating theintake edge of the. valve seat as described permits the use of valve seats differing from each other in size M of main delivery passage 13, and thus in capacity for discharge, and avoids require ment for float valves of varying displacement having suflicient flotative power to rise from the seat when sufficiently submerged in wa ter of condensation. a

It will be observed that size, number, and s acing of the channels are all governing e ements of operation in relation to the float valve, its seat, andthe main discharge assage therethrough: that is to say, wit 1' a given size of float valve, the main passage 13 a through the seat Will determine the num ber of channels 13, equally spaced, and of a given size, which will be required to allow passage of air without detrimental esca e of steam, and to so far relieve the valve 0 un balanced pressure that its factor of flotation will be sufficient to enable it to float freely on entrance of requisite water into the valve chamber. .If but a single channel were rovided in the valve seat, the valve woulr be thrown to one side from the channeled point by passage of Water through the channel instead of being raised vertically, which would cause the valve to pound against the side of case of a desirably small valve which would be held to its seat b unbalanced pressure, a single channel COLlhl not be so proportioned. as to fulfil the double oflice of air vent, and pressure relief for the valve, without allowing escape of a wasteful amount of steam which wou d be detrimental in reducing pressure in the return pipe.

I refer to make the float valve of spherical form so that it may be free to turn in anydirection and seat equally well on any part of its surface, which insures good wearing conditions; to make the center of cork for lightness, and to resist collapse. In cleaning the 1 valve seat, valve and screen, the cover 2 of the screen case to injury of the valve; also, in 115' 1 for general use on heating the valve body 1 is unscrewed, and in removing the cover, screen framefi sli off of valve seat 13 and the screen andnclosed valve 12 go with the cover.

heating system, Serial umber 335,980, filed September 24th, 1906, but is also adapted systems. I do not confine mysel to the exact proportions, or arrangement of parts, or way of v putting same together as shown in the drawlugs, for these may be to some extent departed. from without materially affecting what I claim as my invention,

What I- claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s,-- I

l 1. In a water drainage valve, a valve body having a-valve chamber, an open inlet port into said chamber, an outlet portfrom said chamber, a discontinuous, removable valve seat for said outlet ort; a float for said seat ada ted to contro said outlet port and todisc arge water automatically from the valve chamber when raised from its seat by water in the chamber; and a removable-frame loosely inclosing the valve and adapted to lead the valve. to its seat.

2. In a water drainage valve, a valve body having a valve chamber, an open inlet port into said chamber, an outlet port from said chamber, and a removable valve seat for said outlet port, a removable cover for said chamber; a float valve for said seat adapted to control said outlet port and to discharge automatically from the valve chamber when raised from its seat by water in the chamber, and a frame removably attached to ,said cover loosely inclosingthe valve and having guides to lead the valve to its seat. i

3. In a radiator drainage valve, a valve body having in combination a valvechamher, provided with an inlet port and an outlet port, and a valve seat for said outlet port having a plurality of channels in the face thereof proportioned in number, size and spacing, for discharging air and some water, but not to allow passage of enough steam to reduce the desired amount of differential pressure between the valve chamber and the outlet thereof; and a float valve having less flotation than needful to raise it against Valveseat 13 is' then accessible for cleaningor. removal, and

erial Number 328,630, filed Ju y- 31st, 1006, and my. aplpllication on vacuum '4. In a water drainage valve, a valve body having a valve chamber, an open inlet-port into said chamber, an outlet port'from said chamber, -a discontinuous, removable valve seat for said outlet port; a float for said seat ada ted to control said outlet port and to disc ar e water automatically from the :valve chamber when raised from its seat by -water in the chamber; a removable frame loosel ,inclosing the valve and adapted to lead t e valve to its seat; aby-pass passage chamber, a float valve for said seat adapted to control said outlet port and to discharge automatically from the valve chamber when raised from its seat by water in the chamber, a frame removably attached to said cover loosely inclosing the valve and having guides 'to lead the valve to its seat; a by-pass passage connecting the inlet and outletof the valve body; and a valve for closing the by ass. p 6. In a radiator drainage valve, a valve body having in combination a valve chamber, provided with an inlet port and an outlet port, and a valve seat for said outlet ort having a plurality of channels'in the ace thereof roportioned in number, size and spacing, or discharging air and some water, but not to allow passage of enough steam to reduce the desired amount of differential pressure between the valve chamber and the outlet thereof; a float valve having less flotation than needful. to raise it against existing differential pressure from the seat if the seat were unprovided with said channels, but adapted through the relievin effect of the channels to be freely floate from its ber, and to discharge said water; a by-passage aroundthe float valve and valve seat for connecting said inlet and outlet ports; and a valve for closing the by-pass.

7. In a water drainage valve, a valve body having a valve chamber, a constantly open inlet port into said chamber, an outlet port from said chamber, and a valve seat for said outlet port; a float valve for said seat .ada ted to control said outlet port and to disc ar e water automatically from said valve c amber through b'ein raised from its seat by water in the cham er; a removable frame loosely inclosing the valve and set over its seat and adapted to lead the valve to its seat; and a screen mounted on said frame in such manner that water entering the valve body must pass through said screen to reach said valve and seat.

8. In a waterdrainage valve, a valve body having a valve chamber, a constantly open inlet port into said chamber, and a valve seat for said outlet port; a float valve for said seat adapted to controlsaid outlet ort and to discharge water-automatically om the valve chamber through being raised from its seat by water in the chamber; a removable cover forsaid chamber; a frame removably attached to said cqver'and loosely inclosing the valve and set'over its seat and adapted to lead the valve to its seat.

9. In a water drainage valve, a body having a valve chamber, a constantly open inlet port into said chamber, an outlet port from said chamber, and a valve seat for said outlet port; a float valve for said seat adapted to control said outlet port and to discharge Water automatically from said valve chamber through being raised from its seat by water in the chamber; a removable cover for said chamber; a frame removably attached to said cover and loosely inclosing the valve and set over its seat and adapted to lead the Valve to its seat; ,and a screen mounted on said frame in such manner that water entering the valve' bodymust pass through said screen to reach said valve and seat.

OASSIUS CARROLL PECK. 

